An ICM poll of more than 2,000 adults, commissioned by the charities Age Concern and Help the Aged, found that 71% of respondents were happy to see older women such as Phillips on screens, while 80% agreed that television favoured younger presenters.

Phillips, a 66-year-old choreographer, was axed from the new run of the BBC1 dancing talent show and replaced with Dixon, a 30-year-old singer.

The BBC denied the decision was age-related, although the move sparked a backlash from politicians and viewers, with the equalities and women's minister Harriet Harman describing it as "absolutely shocking".

Crick, 51, said the claim that the BBC was "obsessed with youth" was a "gross understatement", adding that it was more difficult for older women than men in the corporation.

The Phillips move followed the dropping of Moira Stuart, 59, from the Sunday-morning news bulletin and the replacing of Countryfile's Michaela Strachan, Charlotte Smith, Miriam O'Reilly and Juliet Morris, who are all in their 40s and 50s, with younger hosts.

Respondents to the ICM survey also said they believed there should be more older women reading the news, with just 9% disagreeing.

However, ageism – particularly towards women – is a problem which extends beyond television, with 65% agreeing that older women face more ageist attitudes in the workplace than men.

The head of public policy at Age Concern and Help the Aged, Andrew Harrop, said: "It is deeply worrying that people are seeing age discrimination right before their eyes, particularly against women. The belief that television favours younger over older women sends out an incredibly negative message, suggesting that as women grow older they are no longer valued or trusted. Television is incredibly powerful and if ageism is to be stamped out, it must represent positive images of older women.

"Time and again the public have made it clear they want to see older people treated equally, whether on TV or in the workplace. Broadcasters must take this lesson to heart and the government must set an example too, by scrapping the senseless default retirement age. We must finally get past people's ages and concentrate on the skills and experience they have to offer."

ICM interviewed a random sample of 2,047 adults from its online panel between 14 and 16 August.

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